title: Filling the gap: estimating physicochemical properties of the full array of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).
abstract: Physicochemical properties of PBDE congeners are important for modeling their transport, but data are often missing. The quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) approach is utilized to fill this gap. Individual research groups often report piecemeal properties through experimental measurements or estimation techniques, but these data seldom satisfy fundamental thermodynamic relationships because of errors. The data then lack internal consistency and cannot be used directly in environmental modeling. This paper critically reviews published experimental data to select the best QSPR models, which are then extended to all 209 PBDE congeners. Properties include aqueous solubility, vapor pressure, Henry's law constant, octanol-water partition coefficient and octanol-air partition coefficient. Their values are next adjusted to satisfy fundamental thermodynamic equations. The resulting values then take advantage of all measurements and provide quick references for modeling and PBDE-contaminated site assessment and remediation. PCBs are also compared with respect to their properties and estimation methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, 6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4.
authors.forename: Chaoyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Loretta Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000737:chemistry*; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D021281:Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D015386:Hazardous Substances
keywords: PBDE; PCB; Physicochemical properties; Quantitative structure–property relationship; Thermodynamics